


Jeon Wonwoo's 17-Step Guide to Falling in Love with Wen Junhui

by waitingforwonhui



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, First Kisses, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Stranger to Friends, a little funny hopefully, all the seventeen members are in here, idk what this is tbh, it was supposed to be 4k, jun is gorgeous as always, so basically it's chaos, wonwoo is whipped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:01:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26106139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waitingforwonhui/pseuds/waitingforwonhui
Summary: It only takes seeing Wen Junhui a total of seventeen times for Wonwoo to fall in love with him.Here's how it goes.
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo & Wen Jun Hui | Jun, Jeon Wonwoo/Wen Jun Hui | Jun
Comments: 42
Kudos: 227





	Jeon Wonwoo's 17-Step Guide to Falling in Love with Wen Junhui

**Author's Note:**

> guys, this wrote itself i swear i planned 4k words but ended up with 10k more
> 
> [heavy sigh] enjoy!

It only takes seeing Wen Junhui a total of seventeen times for Wonwoo to fall in love with him. Here's how it goes:

  1. _Notice His Nose_



He blames Seokmin and Jeonghan for this one. When they were gaming at Seungcheol and Jihoon's place about two days ago, all those two could talk about were noses. Wonwoo could swear they tried to describe the perfect nose for at least one whole hour. They brought up various celebrities in their discussion and tried to agree on what an ideal nose would look like.

Wonwoo was immersed in a video game and had only faintly been listening to Seokmin and Jeonghan's nose discourse. He wasn't really interested. He was actually shocked that two people could go on talking about noses for as long as they did but apparently his subconscious mind had been paying attention regardless.

It's the only way he can explain why he finds himself entirely mesmerised by this one guy's nose in his lecture. He is sitting three rows in front of Wonwoo and a couple of seats to his right which gives Wonwoo the best view of this guy's side profile and the nose that has taken all of the focus away from Wonwoo's first lecture of the semester.

Wonwoo has never seen him before. He would remember him. With a nose like that after all. His hair is brown and perfectly styled. His eyes peeled to the slides projected on the wall behind the professor, eyebrows slightly furrowed. He has a pair of plump lips protruding almost in a pout but not really and that nose.

It's a perfect nose if Wonwoo has ever seen one. He almost feels like taking a picture to show Seokmin and Jeonghan and end their mindless discussion once and for all. Wonwoo never thought he cared about noses. He didn't. _He really didn't._

And that's why he blames his friends because he can't do anything else but focus on this guy's nose. It must be because of their stupid talk from the weekend, there's no other explanation for it.

And it's not just the nose. It's the way it perfectly fits into that flawless side profile. Wonwoo has to look away quickly to make sure he's not imagining this guy. How can someone look like that on a regular Monday morning? It makes no sense.

When he turns around to look at him again, his breath gets stuck in his throat. He's looking at him. The guy with the perfect nose is looking right at Wonwoo and smiling. _He's smiling._ He must have noticed that Wonwoo was staring. How embarrassing.

Before he can do anything to embarrass himself even further, Wonwoo feels his whole face heat up and looks away pretending to take notes on his laptop. When he looks up again, the guy's face is turned to the front again and Wonwoo can't help but to throw one last look at his side profile - _the nose_ \- before the lecture ends without him even remembering one word the professor said.

  1. _Have Your Friend Introduce Him to Your Group_



It appears to be a day like any other. Wonwoo is seated at the cafeteria eating his lunch. Seungkwan and Hansol are bickering about something in front of him. Chan is next to him reading his homework for his next class and without having to even look up, he can hear Soonyoung approach from somewhere.

His loud voice always proceeds him. Wonwoo assumes he's with Jihoon because he almost always is and Jihoon doesn't talk nearly as much which is why he can only hear Soonyoung as per usual.

"Guys," he exclaims loudly when he reaches their table. Wonwoo doesn't even look up from his food. "This is Jun, he just joined the theatre group and we finally have our lead role!"

And that is enough to make Wonwoo lift his head up. Cheeks stuffed, about as unattractive as a human being could possibly be, he finds himself looking right at the guy with the nose. Naturally, Wonwoo spits out his food in shock and follows right up with a coughing fit.

Everyone stares at him, of course. Seungkwan in disgust. Hansol in worry. Soonyoung and Chan just break out in laughter. And nose-guy called Jun apparently speaks to him for the first time, "Are you okay?"

Great. _Just great._ Wonderful. Wonwoo is ready for Mother Earth to open up underneath him and just swallow him whole right then and there. He is mortified when he introduces himself, "Yes, ugh... sorry, about that... I'm fine and Wonwoo- I mean, my name, Wonwoo. Hi!"

"Junhui," the other man says with one of the smallest, prettiest of reassuring smiles that Wonwoo has ever seen.

"I swear he's normal," Soonyoung informs Junhui. "Why are you acting all weird, man?"

Wonwoo glares at him, "Too much food in my mouth."

"Well, take smaller bites," Seungkwan says in a sassy tone. "It's disgusting."

Wonwoo gives him a look before he glances back at Junhui, the owner of the perfect nose. _What a pretty name_ , he thinks. And he looks at him a couple of seconds too long which he only realises because Junhui breaks their eye-contact looking a little shy, or perhaps uncomfortable.

"Anyway," Soonyoung says entirely oblivious to his friend's new-found obsession with a nose. "Jun has successfully auditioned for the role of Ernest in this year's play."

He has always been a weird theatre kid but it has gone to a whole new level ever since they started university and Soonyoung met Jihoon in the school's theatre group. They don't seem to have much in common other than their weird obsession with putting together the best play possible at every year-end showing. Apparently, that has been enough bonding material to make them start to date and go strong for almost two years now.

Wonwoo is almost envious sometimes but right now he doesn't have the time to reflect on his friends' love life. Not with that nose right in front of him. He has enough decency and common sense to congratulate Junhui on his new role before he averts his eyes to force himself to look at his food. He doesn't care if it seems rude but he can't be staring at this guy open-mouthed as he just did any longer.

He has embarrassed himself twice before Junhui had even introduced himself. There's no way Wonwoo is ever going to look at him again, let alone talk to him. _That's enough embarrassment for one semester,_ he thinks as he pokes at his food unwilling to put it in his mouth again.

  1. _Make Him Smile at You_



It's Saturday evening and Wonwoo and all of his friends are at the first party of the semester. It's at some people's house. He doesn't even know the hosts but Mingyu does and so does Minghao. But then again, they know everyone and apparently, Minghao even knows Junhui. He seems to know him very well.

Because just when Wonwoo looks up from where he's seated on a low laying couch in the living room, he sees the two of them hug it out at the front door.

He didn't know that Junhui would come but of course, he would. Everyone is there. He could've anticipated it. There was no way, however, that he could've anticipated this guy to know one of his close friends to the point of hugging intimately. Let alone that he would join Soonyoung's stupid theatre group.

It starts to dawn on Wonwoo that he would have to see him more often, even outside that one Monday lecture they have in common and frankly, he doesn't know how to feel about that. He's embarrassed and flustered and for whatever reason, nervous when he looks at Junhui.

And he looks at him again now when their eyes meet across the room and a wide, genuine smile forms on Junhui's face. A smile that hadn't been there just before he caught Wonwoo's eyes and it's enough to make Wonwoo's stomach feel a little weird. 

_What the hell is going on?_

  1. _Make Him Laugh_



They are in the kitchen still at that same party when Junhui walks in to get a drink. Wonwoo is leaning on the counter right next to the refrigerator and watching his friends have another heated discussion in front of him.

"Is there still some beer in the fridge?" Junhui's voice takes him out of his trance that he didn't even realise he fell into while trying to block out Seokmin and Seungkwan's irritating voices talking about another irrelevant topic that somehow grew into a whole discourse.

"Uh... yeah," Wonwoo says perplexed as he catches a glimpse of the handsome man and tries not to stare, yet again. "I think so."

He opens the refrigerator for Junhui and takes out a beer that he then hands to the other.

"Thank you," Junhui says with a sweet, melodic voice. "What's going on here?"

He points at Seungkwan and Seokmin and Wonwoo rolls his eyes, "Come here."

He scoots over on the counter just a little bit to make room for Junhui to lean on it right next to him, "Since you're new to our group of friends - welcome, by the way - and you seem like a normal person, you have to know one thing..."

"Okay..." Junhui lets out a little worriedly.

"Not one day will pass by that they won't find an incredibly irrelevant topic and start a whole-ass discussion about it," he points at his two friends right in front of them. "And it's not just these two... at least half of my friends chime in every time they come up with something and it actually gets pretty heated sometimes. Once Seungkwan didn't talk to Hansol for two whole weeks because they disagreed on something related to hats... I'm not even sure anymore. They are crazy, I tell you."

Junhui chuckles next to him and Wonwoo can't believe how cool and composed he is when all he did so far in front of this guy is embarrass himself. Maybe it doesn't have to be bad. Maybe it was just the initial shock of the perfect nose that caught him off guard but Junhui seems rather nice and easy to talk to. It doesn't have to be a problem to welcome him into his friends' group. Surely.

"So, what are they talking about now?"

Wonwoo has to snap out of it again. "Oh, today we have a brilliant discourse on what's scarier: haunted houses or bungee jumping," he says sarcastically and shakes his head.

"I love it," Junhui laughs and claps and it's about in that exact moment that Wonwoo just knows he has lost his mind because there is no way someone looks that beautiful and adorable when they laugh. Surely not.

Junhui's eyes sparkle like they are filled with tiny little crystals and his mouth is just so pretty showing off all his cute teeth and Wonwoo knows he has never thought of teeth as cute before but hey, there he is. Losing his mind over the way Junhui's cheeks look when he laughs.

It's cruel really. It's cruel how beautiful he is. Wonwoo didn't know the nose would be the smallest of his problems when Junhui came into his life but right about now, he feels thoroughly fucked. Not literally. But good God, what's happening with him?

He shakes his head when Junhui lifts a hand to cover his pretty mouth and Wonwoo almost wants to reach out and stop him but he has at least some decency and etiquette left in him so he doesn't. Instead, he forces himself to look away as not to make the other feel uncomfortable again.

"It's funny," Junhui says eventually. "Because it's obvious..."

"What is?" Wonwoo widens his eyes. He's not talking about _him_ and his staring, right?

"Which one is scarier," Junhui retorts.

"Oh," Wonwoo lets out relieved.

"It's obviously..." The other man starts.

"Bungee jumping," Wonwoo throws in.

"Haunted houses," Junhui finishes at the same time.

"Oh."

"Oh."

They break out in laughter together this time as they realise that they have unintentionally joined into the discussion that Wonwoo just made fun of.

"To be fair," Junhui says when his laughter calms down a little. "I would be scared with both... so..."

"And I'm just glad you didn't try and convince me of your point right now," Wonwoo explains. "You have proven not to be a crazy person, thank God."

Junhui chuckles again and Wonwoo _really_ doesn't know how he's supposed to get used to it. At least it's easy to talk to him, he thinks. He can build on that. _Right?_

  1. _Get His Phone Number_



Thursdays are often spent hanging out at Seungcheol and Jihoon's place, gaming and eating pizza. This time, Wonwoo really can't have anticipated that Junhui would be there. He honestly didn't know that Junhui was already Thursday-night close with the group. It's a sacred evening for just his friends but apparently, all of them have found a special liking in the boy with the nose and Wonwoo cannot blame them.

But there he is, sitting on Seungcheol's couch sipping on a cocktail that Wonwoo can already tell Joshua has made because it's been his thing lately. Experimenting with cocktails that he then tries out on his friends every time they get together. Joshua always has new hobbies that he makes them all passively participate in whether they like it or not.

Last month it was friendship bracelets. The month before he started learning to play the guitar and brought it everywhere with him and this month, clearly, it's cocktails. Wonwoo must admit this month's hobby of Joshua's is his favourite so far because it turns out he has quite the nick for the art of drink making and everything he's had Wonwoo try so far was exceptionally tasty.

The red drink with a cocktail cherry inside that Junhui is currently holding in his hand looks just as delicious. _Almost as delicious as the person drinking it,_ Wonwoo catches himself thinking and shakes those thoughts off right away.

"Hi guys," he greets all of them gathered in the living room area of his friends' apartment and he plops himself down next to Junhui. He would want to swear it's the only free spot in the room, there is no other reason he decides to sit exactly there.

They greet him back and within less than five minutes a red drink to match Junhui's and everyone else's appears in his hand too and sure enough, the first sip is wonderful. Maybe a little too sweet for Wonwoo's liking but still very good. He compliments Joshua and turns to look at Junhui for a second just to notice that the other is already smiling at him.

"What?"

"Nothing," Junhui says sweetly. Sweeter than honey. Sweeter even than this drink. "You look exhausted."

"It's been a long week," Wonwoo breathes out. "Speaking of it, where have you been on Monday? You weren't in the lecture..."

"Oh?" Junhui looks at him a little dumbfounded and it's only then that Wonwoo registers that he has never talked to Junhui about that lecture. They have never established a mutual understanding of having a lecture together at all. For all he knows, Junhui probably has no freaking idea what he's even talking about.

Wonwoo feels his face heat up before he speaks, "I, uh... I saw you there the first week and now that I officially met you, I thought... uh, I don't know... I thought I'd see you there again, that's all."

"Yeah, makes sense," Junhui says with a smile. "I was at the nurse's office all morning on Monday, so..."

"Why? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Wonwoo sounds much more panicky than he intends.

It makes Junhui chuckle, "Yes, yes, I'm fine. I had to get a shot because I moved here and all that... and I kinda didn't react to it well, so they kept me there until I stopped feeling dizzy, that's all."

And again, Wonwoo only now realises why he has never seen Junhui before. They do go to a big university with a huge ass campus but still, Wonwoo is sure he would have noticed someone like Junhui around. He has no doubt about it.

It turns out Junhui's family had just recently moved to the city from abroad which is why he has only started going to this university this semester. So, less than two weeks ago. Wonwoo learns a lot about Junhui that evening.

The other man tells him all about his studies - he is an art major but he took the same business lecture with Wonwoo as an elective. Wonwoo takes a mental note to stop scanning his other seminars and lectures for Junhui because he won't find him there. Clearly.

"By the way," Junhui says at some point. "Would you mind if I borrowed your notes from that lecture for this week... since I missed it?"

"Oh," Wonwoo answers a little perplexed. The truth is that he doesn't really have notes. He spent most of the lecture wondering about Junhui's whereabouts and was way too distracted to listen to the professor at all.

Of course, he can't tell that to Junhui so he opts for an excuse, "Uh... I didn't really take notes... I just kinda got it right away, so... yeah."

"Oh, I see," Junhui says and looks down at the cocktail in his hands. It's a different one now, this one is rather citrusy in flavour and blue in colour. He looks as if he's contemplating what to do and Wonwoo is too distracted by his side profile to even hear when Junhui asks, "Hey, do you think we could meet up to study together sometime? I could really use some help with that lecture if I'm honest."

"Yeah, of course," Wonwoo agrees not fully understanding what he agreed to. He heard something about studying. Sure, he can study with Junhui. It would help him get used to him probably. What harm can it do?

"Awesome," Junhui smiles widely. One of those blinding, surreal smiles of his. "Let me give you my number."

Junhui types his number into Wonwoo's phone and for whatever reason, Wonwoo feels like he has accomplished something. He's not quite sure what exactly but he feels quite good about himself when he quickly rings Junhui so that the other man has his number too.

"I'll text you about it," Junhui concludes and Wonwoo nods with a reassuring smile.

They spend most of that evening sitting together and talking to each other. _It feels nice,_ Wonwoo thinks. Very nice.

  1. _Help Him Study (Or At Least Try)_



Wonwoo is on the verge of freaking out as he waits for Junhui in the library. It's not just because of Junhui or his nose or his smile or his sparkling eyes this time. No. It's because when he gave the guy his number, Wonwoo didn't realise that Junhui sort of expected him to explain the contents of the last two weeks of their business lecture to him.

How is he going to tell him that the only thing he cared about in the first week of it was Junhui's wonderful side profile with its exquisite nose and the second week, it turned out even harder to focus because Junhui was not there and Wonwoo has spent the entire 90 minutes wondering where he was?

If he's perfectly honest, Wonwoo probably wouldn't even be able to recognise the professor from that lecture because that's how little he actually paid attention. He's screwed. He's so screwed.

When Junhui sent him a text asking if they could meet before the lecture to go over the material from the past two weeks, Wonwoo just agreed thinking he would glance over the slides the professor uploaded on their students' online platform and that he would most likely remember what it was all about. He spent the better portion of his Sunday trying to make sense of any of it but he couldn't. There was too much math. Too many statistics. And that's not usually a problem for Wonwoo but for whatever reason, he can't make any sense of this particular course material. He needs more information to grasp it and he assumes the much needed extra information came in the form of words out of the professor's mouth during the lecture. He was just too distracted to hear them.

He was up all night trying to google his way into understanding enough to be able to explain anything to Junhui but he had to give up around 4 AM that morning when he became too sleepy to even keep his eyes open, let alone try to grasp math problems.

He decided he would just tell Junhui the truth, apologise and pray to all the Gods he knew that the other won't be too pissed that Wonwoo, not only lied about knowing the material but also promised to meet him in the library to go over it. And now Junhui is on his way there but for nothing. In Wonwoo's defense, 4 AM in the morning just felt like way too late to cancel.

"Hi," Junhui's soft voice calls out from above him and it makes Wonwoo jump up a little.

As if he hasn't embarrassed himself enough in front of the other, the first thing he says is, "I'm so sorry."

Junhui looks at him somewhat worried as he sits down on the chair across from Wonwoo. "Uh, okay? Why?"

"I was up all night... I really tried... I went through the slides at least seven times but... but I don't get it," Wonwoo desperately lets out. "I can't help you because I don't get it either... and I know I said I did but I don't... I lied... not because I wanted to lie to you, I didn't. I really didn't... I just really thought I'd get it if I just looked at the material but I don't... I didn't pay attention and I have nothing for you and I made you come here before the lecture and I got nothing... and I'm sorry."

Junhui chuckles softly before he reaches out over the table to pat his arm, "Oh, Wonwoo..."

He didn't want to sound as whiney and desperate as it came out. Wonwoo blames it on the lack of sleep and the caffeine overdose from this morning. He's actually shaking and it's not only because Junhui has his pretty hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry," he repeats in a breathy tone.

"You're so cute," Junhui says with another mellow chuckle.

"What?"

"You were really up all night for this?"

"Yeah," Wonwoo breathes out. "I mean... I said I'd help and... I'm just-"

"It's okay," Junhui assures him. "It's not that big a deal..."

"But you came all the way here..." Wonwoo says dumbfounded.

"So what?" Junhui laughs out. "We have class in an hour anyway... it doesn't make much of a difference, I was just hoping I wouldn't have to go to the tutorial for this lecture so I could save some time in my schedule but it's not the worst that could happen. Really, Wonwoo, don't beat yourself up... I think it's cute that you tried so hard. Thank you."

Wonwoo blinks in disbelief, "What? No, you shouldn't be thanking me... I lied to you, I need to make it up to you..."

"You didn't lie on purpose," Junhui shrugs. "You thought you'd get it, you didn't. No biggie, it's not necessary to make it up to me. I'm really fine."

"But no, I want to..."

"Okay," Junhui folds his hands on the table in front of him. "How about you buy me ice cream sometime?"

"Deal," Wonwoo says right away. He can buy ice cream. It's a small price to pay for disappointing someone like Junhui.

"Yaaay," Junhui says cutely and Wonwoo wants to melt right then and there. How can he be like this? He's nice and cute and adorable and so down-to-earth but his looks are godlike and nothing makes sense about this man.

"So," Wonwoo probes shyly. "How about this afternoon?"

"I can't," Junhui presses his lips together. "The theatre group meets today..."

_Ugh, Soonyoung's stupid theatre group._

"Oh, okay," Wonwoo says. "Just let me know when you have time then..."

"I will," Junhui retorts with a smile. "Thank you, again."

"Please, stop thanking me," Wonwoo says with closed eyes and a small shake of his head. It makes Junhui laugh and all of Wonwoo's previous tension and anxiety just dissipates into nothing.

They spend the hour together at the library just chatting about random stuff and when they would be able to get ice cream. Afterwards, they go to the lecture and when Junhui sits down right next to him, Wonwoo knows it's going to be another week of not being able to focus on the course material. There's definitely something strange about the way he's easily distracted by Junhui's mere existence, he just can't quite put his finger on it yet.

  1. _Make Him Pout_



They're having lunch at the cafeteria when Junhui calls out his name, "Hey, Wonwoo."

"Huh?" Wonwoo looks up from his food and locks eyes with the other who is sitting next to Jeonghan across from him and has been silently working on his laptop for the past half an hour.

"I'm just putting my name down for the tutorial for that lecture," Junhui says. "I can sign you up as well, or do you want to do it yourself?"

"Umm," Wonwoo lets out intelligently. "I wasn't gonna sign up for that..."

"What?" Junhui looks at him with piercing eyes. "Why not?"

"I kinda thought it would all crystalise itself out as the lecture progresses," Wonwoo explains slowly.

"But I don't wanna go alone," Junhui says in a whiney tone and... _pouts._

He pouts at Wonwoo. His lips wrinkle into the cutest little unshapely pink curve and he widens his eyes with furrowed eyebrows. It's devastating. Truly.

"Please," he adds. And how in God's name do you say no to that? How do you say no to spending more time with Junhui? Wonwoo wouldn't know.

He doesn't even ask what day or time the tutorial would be before he says, "Sure, sign me up."

  1. _Buy Him Ice Cream_



They meet at the main entrance of their university campus and walk to the nearest ice cream shop that Wonwoo knows around there. It's just the day after he met Junhui at lunch and got himself signed up for the tutorial he never intended to go to. For whatever reason, Wonwoo again feels like he has accomplished something by seeing Junhui three days in a row. It's alarming how quickly he's growing attached to the other guy but he lets it happen. It's not like he has the strength to fight it anyway.

"Oh, I'm excited," Junhui frolics and claps his hands quickly a couple of times in a row and Wonwoo's eyes are peeled to his frame and to the adorable smile on his face.

It turns out the ice cream place has quite the selection of flavours. Wonwoo wouldn't know, he always takes strawberry but Junhui leans over the glass of the counter to inspect the colourfully delicious pots of frozen dessert a little closer. He seems to have a much harder time to decide what he wants.

"You can pick a couple," Wonwoo suggests. "I don't mind."

"No, I can't," Junhui cutely shakes his head. "I can't just go and order like five different flavours when you're buying... that would just be rude."

"It would be okay for me," Wonwoo shrugs.

"No, I have to decide," the other man insists. "Just one."

"Okay, at least take two," Wonwoo urges. "That's a reasonable amount I'd say..."

"I guess, two is okay," Junhui confirms then looks at Wonwoo with his beautiful, big eyes. "Thank you, Wonwoo."

And Wonwoo is taken aback immediately. The guy didn't do anything special. He just thanked him but _good Lord_ , why did it make his heart jump almost out of his chest?

"Ugh, it's fine... really... uh... I said I'd buy it... I mean... two is... like..." Wonwoo stutters and thinks that he could really use some Earth-opening-up-and-swallowing-him kind of action right about now. "Anyway, which ones do you need to choose from?"

"Oh, well... I definitely want the milk tea flavoured but then I can't decide if I want pistachio or cookie dough or maybe cookies and cream instead... and then there's macadamia white chocolate that just sounds delicious too... or the triple chocolatey chocolate, that looks divine hmmm... no, let's do cookies and cream," Junhui finishes with a firm movement of his head. "Milk tea and cookies and cream, please."

"You got it," Wonwoo chuckles and he can't help but find the other so endearing.

They step up to the cashier together before the young lady behind the counter greets them and asks them what they would like.

"Alright," Wonwoo starts. "One medium-sized cup of strawberry please and then I'd like a big cup of milk tea and cookies and cream together and do you guys have any larger tubs than that?"

The girl looks at him a little confused but then she quickly fishes out a slightly bigger cup than the large version they have displayed, "Like this?" She asks.

"Yes, that'll do," Wonwoo nods. "Can you fit four flavours in there?"

"Of course," she answers. "You pay by the cup, I can fit up to six in this one."

Junhui just looks at Wonwoo with his lips pressed together. He seems excited about the ice cream but his eyes widen quickly when Wonwoo continues with his order, "Awesome, well then scratch the big cup of milk tea and cookies and cream... can you put those two flavours in that one and then also, cookie dough, pistachio, macadamia white chocolate and that triple... chocolate thing as well?"

"Sure," the girl says and starts scooping up the ice cream into the giant tub.

"Wonwoo," Junhui grabs his arm. "But that's too much!"

"You wanted to try them, didn't you?"

"I can't let you buy me that huge tub of ice cream, it's too much."

"If you can eat it, it's not."

"But what if I can't eat it all," Junhui argues. "You would have bought it for nothing..."

"I didn't buy it for nothing," Wonwoo chuckles. "I bought it for you."

And before he can react, Junhui steps forward, throws his arms around Wonwoo's neck and hugs him. There was nothing - nothing in this world - that could've possibly prepared him for this type of situation. How does one react to being hugged by Junhui?

Wonwoo only reluctantly lifts his own hands to put them on the smaller back of the other man which makes Junhui lean just that little bit further into him. He doesn't know how to describe it. Hugging Junhui feels like a burst of sunshine right into his chest.

He smells like a spring morning. Just the right amount of warm and fresh but not too much of anything. It's pure comfort. There's a buzz spreading throughout his entire body. As if he had a drink. No, actually, as if he had a couple, just the right amount to feel a little warm and fuzzy but not drunk. He wouldn't mind getting drunk on Junhui, though.

He only snaps out of it when Junhui leaves a soft, "Thank you." Right next to his ear. He melts. Quicker than that ice cream waiting for him to let go of the prettiest boy on Earth and pay for it.

The girl behind the counter clears her throat and they let go of each other right away.

"Uh, I'm sorry," Junhui says with the prettiest blush forming on his cheeks. "That was too-"

"No, it's fine," Wonwoo calls out. "It's okay... haha you like ice cream... a lot... anyway, yes, I gotta pay... how much is that?"

They pay for the ice cream and find a table in the small but cosy sitting area of the shop. Wonwoo watches Junhui eat all of the ice cream he bought him but not without making Wonwoo taste all the flavours as well. He wouldn't move on to the next one until Wonwoo had a spoonful of the other one too no matter how often Wonwoo told him that he'd still prefer strawberry and he was happy just eating that.

It's adorable. He's adorable. Junhui is just too cute to be real but there he is sitting across from Wonwoo telling him stories from his hometown and all the stuff Soonyoung puts him through when they rehearse for their play.

They find out they both like to play video games and make a deal to play something against each other next time they all gather at Seungcheol and Jihoon's place. Wonwoo also learns that Junhui is just as obsessed with cats as he is and that spreads a whole different kind of warmth in his chest. They have a lot in common even when it didn't seem like it at first glance.

Sure, Wownoo can't deny he was interested in Junhui from the first time he saw him but he's starting to find more and more things to like about him and it turns out his personality outshines his looks by a mile. And that means something because Junhui is just stunning. He is absolutely gorgeous and Wonwoo is just starting to get to know him properly.

He's doomed. Pretty much.

  1. _Notice the Moles on His Face_



It turns out the tutorial he let Junhui sign him up for is also on Mondays just after their lecture which is good and bad for Wonwoo. Good, because he doesn't have any other classes in that time slot and bad, because he really doesn't enjoy the thought of adding another hour of this heavily statistics-based lecture material to the beginning of his week. The things he does for Junhui.

They have, however, gotten used to each other since spending more time together the week before and now having sat through that gruelling lecture right next to one another. Of course, Wonwoo has gotten used to Junhui as much as one can possibly get used to him.

Sitting next to Junhui proves rather difficult because not only does it make focusing on the professor teaching them even more challenging than usual, but now Wonwoo also has to actually force himself to pay attention and take notes because Junhui could tell if he didn't.

He would occasionally turn to look at Wonwoo and smile which does nothing whatsoever to help him focus. Junhui doodles a lot. Whenever the lecture gets more boring or the professor sidetracks a little too long, Junhui doodles little cats and emoji-like faces and they look absolutely adorable just like the artist.

They walk to their tutorial classroom together afterwards and the sheer size of the room makes Wonwoo wheeze a little because it's tiny and the tables are arranged in pairs which will only concentrate his exposure to Junhui and all his cute quirks. He really doesn't know how he's going to survive the next eight or so Mondays until the semester ends.

And it proves to be difficult already because after explaining this week's course material again, the tutor gives them an exercise to work on in pairs. It's not a difficult task for Wonwoo because he got the math behind it right away once the tutor put it in his own words. He could solve it easily but he finds himself giving Junhui the time to try and figure it out himself with Wonwoo's help here and there.

He catches himself smiling at the beautiful man leaning over the papers and furrowing his eyebrows in deep thought. It's endearing how hard Junhui tries and when he leans his head on his hand propped up on the table by his elbow, Wonwoo notices another interesting feature about the other's face.

There's a handful of beauty marks scattered all across his face.

He has two pretty moles above his upper lip and one under his left eye that is rather visible. Wonwoo has noticed them before although he never got to inspect them further because he's already self-conscious about his staring. But now he also notices that those are just the most prominent of many moles on Jun's stunning face. He gets a little lost trying to make them all out and notice how each one of them makes his face even more mesmerising when he realises that Junhui is looking at him too.

"Wonwoo," Junhui says shyly clearly having caught him staring again.

Wonwoo shakes his head a little and looks down for a second before he makes eye contact with the other again. "I'm sorry," he says. "I... I just noticed your moles and-"

"Uh," Junhui answers and runs a hand over the side of his face. "I have many."

"They... they're so pretty," Wonwoo hears himself say in an airy tone and he feels his face heat up.

Junhui giggles and seems to have a hard time looking right at Wonwoo, "Umm thank you..."

They sit there and smile at each other and nothing in particular until the room starts to feel a little stuffy. Just a little too tense.

"Uh... let's..." Junhui says sheepishly and points a finger at the sheet of paper with the exercise on it.

"Oh yeah, yes, alright," Wonwoo snaps out if too. "Should I just explain it to you?"

"Yes, please," Junhui chuckles and grabs his notebook to solve the exercise alongside Wonwoo.

They manage to solve it together so that both of them understand the course material just before the tutor calls it a day and they are free to go. Wonwoo has another class right after while Junhui has an early lunch break. So, they say goodbye outside of the classroom and go their separate ways. As he walks to his next class, Wonwoo feels quite satisfied with himself even if he doesn't exactly understand why that is.

  1. _Accidentally Call Him by a Nickname_



The next time he sees Junhui it's just a coincidence. Wonwoo is just about to walk from one of his classes to the next when he spots him coming upstairs.

He can only describe it as an overwhelming wave of madness that overcomes him at that moment when he positively - and excitedly - screams out, " _Junnie!_ "

And it's not even the fact that he just shouted in the middle of a busy floor in the main building of their university. It's not even the fact that he called Junhui in the first place - they knew each other, it was fine. No, the crazy part is that right as he called him out, Wonwoo realised that he had just screamed an affectionate nickname version of Junhui's name that he has never used with him before.

He used it in his head a lot, alright. In all the conversations he imagined having with Junhui in the not so distant future, he would call him Junnie now and again. In some more intimate moments in his imagination, he certainly called him that a lot. Moments that have no grasp on reality whatsoever. It hits him just how much he has imagined Junhui even when he was not around in the couple of weeks that they knew each other. _Huh, interesting_ , Wonwoo thinks.

But he doesn't have time to contemplate it all too much or get embarrassed enough to run away because Junhui hears his call - and how could he not when it was loud enough to be heard in every building on campus? He looks up from the stairs and sees Wonwoo standing at the top looking at him with a big grin. Wonwoo tries not to interpret anything into the equally big grin that grows on Junhui's face at the sight of him.

If he thought it was weird that Wonwoo called him that, he doesn't say anything. He just greets him cutely as Junhui always does and they exchange a little bit of small talk. They both have to get to different classes afterwards.

"Hey," Wonwoo calls just before they want to separate. "Are you coming to Seungcheol and Jihoon's tomorrow evening?"

"Uh, sure," Junhui says with a giggle. "I could use some of those delicious cocktails."

"Oh, I hate to disappoint you but I'm pretty sure Shua has already moved on to a new hobby by now..."

"What do you mean?" Junhui looks at him cutely. One of those big-eyes-cute-pout kinds of looks and Wonwoo wants to coo.

"He just gets into new things a lot," Wonwoo explains. "And his interests usually last around a month or so... which, sadly, makes it very likely that cocktail time is over."

"Oh no," Junhui retorts. "They were so good."

"I know, but hey, we'll still have drinks and we can finally play a video game together... if you want," Wonwoo says getting shier towards the end.

"Of course," the other man says with a bright smile. "I'll be there."

"Great!"

"I gotta go to my next class... uh, see you tomorrow then?"

"See you there!"

Wonwoo has always looked forward to Thursday evenings with his friends but this time he's just looking forward to it a little more than usual.

  1. _Let Him Win in a Video Game_



The next day at Seungcheol and Jihoon's place, Wonwoo and Junhui finally get to play against each other in a close combat video game. It's one that Wonwoo is just way too familiar with and so far only Seungcheol has managed to beat him in it once. Junhui has never played it before but after miserably losing to Wonwoo a handful of times, he seems to get the hang of it rather quickly.

He is no match for Wonwoo, that much is clear. And Wonwoo doesn't actually intend to let him win at first but every time Junhui's character gets a hit in between being beaten, the player lets out the cutest of reactions which Wonwoo quickly grows addicted to.

Whenever he lets himself intentionally slip to secure Junhui's character to hit his own, he gets to hear little _whaaas_ and _ooooohs_ and _yaaaays_ and it's too adorable to miss out on. He doesn't even realise how often he lets his character take a hit until there is a giant K.O. on the screen to signalise that he has lost.

He really doesn't mind. Especially not when Junhui gets up from his seat and excitedly runs over to Wonwoo to hug him from the back. It feels worth losing a video game if Wonwoo is perfectly honest. He lets himself swing around a little in Junhui's embrace before they both get up to let other people play while they get a drink and lounge around for a bit.

Wonwoo sits down on his favourite spot on Jihoon's couch while Junhui goes to the kitchen to get them drinks. Before he can even get comfortable, Soonyoung plops down next to him and looks at him curiously, "You let him win?"

"What?"

"You just lost at your best game," Soonyoung narrows his eyes at him. "Why? Do you like him?"

"Pfft, what?" Wonwoo lets out with a scoff. "Maybe Junnie is just better at it? Have you considered that?"

"First of all, he's not," Soonyoung lifts a finger right in front of Wonwoo's face. "Second... _Junnie_?"

"Huh?"

"You call him _Junnie_?" His friend exclaims dramatically. "Where did that come from?"

"What's going on?" Jeonghan says and sits down on the table in front of them with a colourless drink in his hand.

"Wonwoo has the hots for Jun," Soonyoung says coldly.

"The new guy?" Jeonghan lifts his eyebrows.

"I- _what?_ " Wonwoo defends. "I don't have the hots for anyone... just because he won in a video game, I can't believe you."

"You let him win?" Jeonghan says and lifts his eyebrows even more. "Jeon Wonwoo, who would have thought?"

"Is it so hard to believe that someone might just be better at this game than me?" Wonwoo says exhausted.

"Yeah, right," Soonyoung sarcastically nods. "Twenty minutes ago, he had no clue what he was doing and then all of a sudden, he got so good that he managed to beat you? Try again, Won."

"So what?" Wonwoo exclaims beaten. "He looked so happy... what is it to me if I lose a game every now and then?"

"I knew it," Soonyoung exclaims. "But how?"

"How what?"

"I just introduced him like a month ago and we all barely had the time to hang out this far in the semester," Soonyoung argues. "How did he manage to make you fall for him so fast?"

"Maybe he's seen him more than we have," Jeonghan grins and takes a sip from his drink.

"What do you mean?" Soonyoung looks at him then turns to Wonwoo. "What does he mean?"

"I have no clue what he means," Wonwoo defends. "I mean, yeah, we have a lecture together but-"

"You have a lecture together?" Soonyoung exclaims. "What other secrets are you hiding from me?"

"I'm not hiding anything, you dumbass. I don't have to tell you about all my lectures and who goes there."

"Interesting," Jeonghan smirks. "That's not even what I meant but that makes it way more interesting..."

"Well, what did you mean?" Wonwoo asks in an exasperated tone.

"I saw you two together at that ice cream shop down the street from campus," the older explains and Wonwoo freezes.

"You went on a date with him?" Soonyoung screeches so loudly Wonwoo has to put a hand over his mouth.

"Shut up," he says. "It was not a date... I just... kinda owed him something and he wanted ice cream, that's all."

"What? How did you manage to owe him something knowing him for like two minutes?" Soonyoung says entirely baffled.

"Who cares?" Jeonghan throws in. "Tell us, are you into him? Are you guys just messing around?"

"We're not messing around... we're not anything," Wonwoo feels drained. "Can you not just... leave me alone?"

"No, we have to know," Soonyoung deadpans.

"Maybe we can help you win him over," Jeonghan argues.

"I'm not trying to win him over," Wonwoo scoffs. "I'm just... we... Junnie is-"

"Absolutely gorgeous?" Soonyoung throws in.

"The second best looking person in this room?" Jeonghan says with a chuckle.

The other two just look at him and roll their eyes before Soonyoung turns around to look at Wonwoo who is positively boiling. "What?" He says. "Did you think you're the only person who has eyes?"

Jeonghan snorts, "We're not blind Wonwoo, you might want to hurry up and do something about it before someone else does?"

Wonwoo just frowns at them.

"Yeah," Soonyoung nods. "The other day, MIngyu asked me for his number..."

"Mingyu?" Wonwoo calls out incredulously.

Soonyoung nods again.

Wonwoo feels a little defeated, "But Mingyu is so tall... and handsome."

" _You're_ tall and handsome," Jeonghan throws in with a hand gesture his way.

"Yeah," Soonyoung adds. "You're tall."

Wonwoo gives him a tired side-eye.

"Besides," Jeonghan continues. "Jun seems to like you too..."

"He likes everyone," Wonwoo sighs. "He's way too nice... obviously other people would be interested in him too. And he does all these cute things and he's actually really funny-"

"Oh, my," Soonyoung grins at him. "You really fell hard."

Wonwoo rolls his eyes and lets out an exhausted breath, "I didn't fall for-"

"Hey, Wonwoo, look," Junhui's voice chimes a little closer to him than expected and Wonwoo freezes in his spot.

Junhui sits down on the other side next to him and hands him a pretty looking cocktail, "Joshua made these for us!"

"Hey," Soonyoung calls. "I thought he stopped doing those like a week ago... I thought he's into plants now."

"Yeah," Jeonghan furrows his eyebrows. "He wouldn't even make me one when I literally begged him..."

"Uh," Junhui just looks at them with big eyes.

"How did you convince him?" Jeonghan follows.

"I just asked nicely," Junhui blinks at them.

Jeonghan gets up from the table and walks away to the kitchen not without letting out a, "That bitch."

And Soonyoung just turns to Wonwoo with his eyebrows raised, "Yeah buddy, you gotta hurry up."

  1. _Spot Him in an All-Black Tight Fit and Proceed to Collapse_



Now Wonwoo has never been much of a rules person but when the group meets the next day to go out clubbing, he thinks that there should definitely be one universal rule that extremely cute and adorable people should not be allowed to also be ridiculously sexy.

The thought comes to him as a result of Junhui taking off his jacket in the club to leave it at the cloakroom and walking up to them in a fitted black shirt and tight, black cut-out jeans. Wonwoo knew that Junhui is not just cute but nothing could have prepared him for this level of sexiness.

Junhui's build is out of this world. Broad shoulders, slim waist, legs to die for and Wonwoo thinks that something definitely dies in him. If he were a cat, he would've lost one life on seeing Junhui in this outfit for sure. He has to sit down on a lounge sofa and fan himself or he swears he would overheat from the sight of it.

It's not fair. It's really not fair for Junhui to have it all, the looks, the body, the charms, the personality, the kindness... Wonwoo could go on but he doesn't get the time. Because Junhui walks over to him. To him out of all people and asks, "Wanna dance?"

Wonwoo wants to scream that _no_ , he does not want to dance with Junhui because he fears he might just forget himself and do something stupid. Or perhaps collapse from the sheer presence of this perfect man.

But Junhui just has a pull on him that he wouldn't be able to explain even if he tried. Not even with science. So he finds himself getting up from his seat led by the prettiest hands he has ever seen to the dance floor, prepared for a premature cardiac arrest because the way Junhui looks that night is nothing compared to the way he dances.

Wonwoo wants to drop to his feet and cry because of how hot Junhui is but he can't. He just tries not to look like an absolute idiot dancing next to that beautiful, beautiful man and soon enough he lets himself drift away on alcohol and body rolls until his mind is too cloudy to care about his moves and Junhui's body pressed against his own doesn't feel like torture anymore.

  1. _Get Jealous_



Thanks to a national holiday, the group gets the first four days of the next week off and they decide to go to Seungkwan's grandparent's beach house together. They had planned this for a long time, only that the plans started out with just four to five people going and now encompass a total of 13 guys ready to just hit it back and relax away from the stressful walls of their student lives.

They take three cars to get to the beach house and Wonwoo ends up in a car with Soonyoung, Jihoon and Seokmin which could be worse for him but his mind travels in a completely different vehicle because he's well aware that Junhui is in a car with Mingyu and Minghao as the driver. He has yet to figure out how those two know each other because it's pretty clear that Junhui is much closer to Minghao than to other people but so far it didn't seem any more intimate. Wonwoo's main point of worry is Mingyu who has openly expressed a liking for Junhui and even asked for his number in a not so subtle manner.

Wonwoo doesn't know if Junhui is even interested in anyone. He doesn't know if he's even looking for something but it's enough to make him wonder if perhaps right at the same time as he has to listen to Seokmin and Soonyoung's carpool karaoke in his car, Junhui is being wooed by the most popular boy on campus that is Kim Mingyu. _It's not fair that this has to be his main competition,_ Wonwoo thinks and wonders when this had become a race.

In the end, it's up to Junhui. Wonwoo can't do anything but be himself and be there for Junhui and if it's not enough for him, then that's how it is. It would be an absolute dream to have Junhui like him back anyway. It's not like he had his hopes up in the first place. It's not like he even imagined him and Junhui being something more than they are now in reality.

He just let Soonyoung and Jeonghan get into his head and now it seems like he can't think about anything else but potentially being with Junhui. It is what it is, Wonwoo concludes still not quite sure to pin down what exactly it is that makes him so bothered when it comes to this man.

They are the last ones to arrive at the house and it turns out to be a stunning property with an open terrace that leads directly to the beach. The only thing that turns out to be a point of discussion is the fact that there are four bedrooms and thirteen boys and before the company in Wonwoo's car even arrives at the location, the others turn out to have started an argument.

He just plops down on a sofa on the patio outside and lets Seungcheol slide him a cold beer from the cooler he brought with him. It's five in the afternoon and Wonwoo thinks it's an okay time to start drinking when you're quasi on a holiday with your friends. So, he leans back and takes it slow and chills there for about an hour until it's dinner time and a whole new discussion opens up about who's going to do what.

They somehow manage. They always do and soon enough, the whole group is scattered around the patio each with a plate in hand and beverage to drink. There's music playing from speakers that Hansol brought with him, he also takes it upon himself to be the DJ for the night but everyone knows that Seungkwan will take over as soon as everyone else gets tipsy and stops caring about what music even plays.

It turns out to be a great evening. Relaxing, just what Wonwoo needed even though he didn't realise that he needed it prior to coming here. He gets like that sometimes. All wrapped up in school work without realising that he never takes the time to wind down.

It only starts to get dark outside when Wonwoo decides to go inside for a little bit and then he sees them. On the large sofa in the TV room, there's Junhui sitting down and Mingyu leaning over the back of it talking to him. Flirting, clearly. It's as obvious as anything could ever be and as Junhui laughs at something Mingyu says, Wonwoo starts to feel an old familiar sensation in his gut region. He doesn't like it. It's fear mixed with clear jealousy and he doesn't really know what he's scared of but it feels like he might be losing something precious to him. Something precious that he knows very well he doesn't even have.

It doesn't stop him from calling out his name across the room, "Junnie."

Junhui looks up and locks eyes with him before Wonwoo moves closer to where half of the group is scattered around in the TV room. He doesn't know what to say really. He didn't want to say anything, he just wanted to make the feeling in his stomach stop.

And Junhui smiles at him sweetly when he answers, "Yeah?"

"Uh, do you... umm," Wonwoo looks outside through the window and thinks fast. "Do you want to take a walk... with me?"

Junhui gives him a curious look as he sits up straight on the sofa, "Uh, yeah, sure. Why not?"

Wonwoo feels relieved. More relieved than he could've imagined. He didn't really plan on taking a walk but surely, he could use one. Especially when it comes with such great company.

"Let me just change quickly," Junhui says when he gets up from the sofa. "It's a bit chilly outside."

"Yeah, I should put on long pants as well," Wonwoo agrees. "Meet me out on the patio in 15 minutes?"

"Okay," Junhui nods and smiles at him before he disappears upstairs. 

Wonwoo looks over to lock eyes with Mingyu who just grins at him and lifts both of his hands up as if to say he'd stay away. And there are no hard feelings. Mingyu couldn't have known how Wonwoo felt about Junhui. Heck, not even Wonwoo knows how he feels about Junhui, he just knows he feels something and he'd rather figure out what it is with Junhui around than on his own.

Mingyu smiles at him knowingly and gives him a thumbs up that makes Wonwoo chuckle before he leaves to find his bag and a pair of long jeans to put on for his walk with Junhui.

  1. _Hold His Hand_



Wonwoo waits on the patio and watches his friends fool around with a karaoke machine. Seungkwan has pulled out a microphone from somewhere and is now performing a folk song with Soonyoung and Seokmin as his - ridiculous - background dancers. It's hilarious, Wonwoo must admit so he doesn't even notice when Junhui comes on the patio too until he's right next to Wonwoo.

"I'm ready," he says and it makes Wonwoo jump up a little.

"Sorry," Junhui chuckles and squeezes his arm for a second.

"No, it's fine," Wonwoo answers breathily. "I was just too focused on... _this._ "

He points to his friends' karaoke performance in full swing and enjoys the cute laughter that follows from Junhui.

"Anyway, shall we?" Wonwoo says and Junhui nods.

"Where are you going?" Seungcheol calls. He is also on the patio sitting next to Jeonghan on one of the couches.

"Uh, just for a walk," Wonwoo answers sheepishly. He really hopes he doesn't have to explain why he only asked Junhui.

"Oh, sounds fun," Seungcheol says with excitement. "Can I come with?"

"No, you can't," Jeonghan suddenly blurts out and looks at Wonwoo. "I mean, I need to talk to you about something... can you stay here?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," Seungcheol sounds dumbfounded. "What is it?"

Wonwoo looks at Jeonghan and gives him a grateful smile, the older man just nods and turns around to whisper something to Seungcheol whose eyes widen instantly before he also grins at Wonwoo.

_His cue to leave,_ Wonwoo thinks and says, "Let's go then."

They walk down and away from the house until they are just close enough to the water but still safe from getting their shoes wet. Then they start walking alongside the beach all the while talking about the events of the day.

"It was really a good idea to come here," Wonwoo says. "Even if just for a day, it's nice to be out here with no schoolwork and no responsibilities..."

"Yes," Junhui agrees. "And it's given me an opportunity to get to know everyone a little better, it's not easy being the new guy..."

"Ah, come on," Wonwoo snorts. "Everyone loves you... it's like the fastest anyone has ever become an integral part of the group."

Junhui chuckles, "I don't know about that but they are great people..."

He looks at Wonwoo with big eyes, "Did you know that Jihoon plays the cello? And Soonyoung has a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo? How does he just excel in everything? Oh, and Seokmin... I heard him sing in our theatre group the other day, he's incredible and he's like the nicest person ever. How can anyone be so nice?"

Wonwoo nods with a small smile on his face all the while Junhui tells him about how great his friends are. Their friends.

"And Chan is incredible, did you know-" Junhui stops himself there and looks at Wonwoo a little embarrassingly. "Of course you know... you've known them for much longer, I'm sorry."

"No, no, no, it's okay," Wonwoo says. "It's nice to hear that you like them and all the things that make them special... sometimes I forget because of how annoying they can be."

"I'm just so glad I met you all," Junhui explains. "I was a little worried about changing universities in the middle of my degree but my dad got a job here and I didn't want to be the only one in our family left behind in a whole different country, besides I already knew Minghao goes here so I thought I'd at least have one person I know but now I got twelve people who want to hang out with me and it's so nice."

"How do you know Minghao if I may ask?" Wonwoo remembers that he was wondering about this for quite a while.

"Oh, we're from the same hometown," Junhui explains. "Our parents used to be quite close because our fathers worked together but then his family moved here a couple of years ago and I hadn't seen him since... and now my dad got promoted to the same branch of the company and we're back in each other's lives."

"That's nice," Wonwoo smiles. "When I saw you two in the first week of the semester, I thought you looked way too familiar for two people who had just met each other."

"Oh? You know, some of the guys have said that about us too?"

Wonwoo lifts his eyebrows, "Us?"

"Yeah," Junhui giggles. "But I think it's just because it's easier for me to be myself around you... I don't know why. I mean, I am myself around the others as well but especially in the beginning, I did put a lot of effort into learning about them and tried really hard to talk to everyone and figure out the insiders and what not... but with you, it's just... easy," he shrugs mid-sentence. "I never felt like I had to try hard or be any other way even for a second. You just let me be me and now I feel like I could tell you anything... don't worry, I won't but I just feel like I could if I had anything to tell."

"You can," Wonwoo blurts out a little louder than intended. "I mean, I'm glad you feel that way... uh, why are we stopping?"

He realises that Junhui has stopped walking just a couple of steps behind him.

"Umm," Junhui starts slowly. "It's super dark over there..."

He points at the stretch of sand right in front of them. It's around where the houses stop illuminating the path, afterwards, it's just beach and the waning crescent moon that doesn't do much to brighten up the scene.

"Are you scared of the dark?" Wonwoo asks softly and walks back to where Junhui has stopped walking.

"I'm not afraid of the dark," Junhui says with big eyes. "I'm afraid of what might be in the dark and how easily it could attack me when I can't see it..."

Wonwoo chuckles. How can anyone be this adorable?

He reaches out and takes Junhui's hand in his own. For a moment, he wonders if he's gone too far. Maybe it's a little too much to be holding his hand but Junhui doesn't protest. Not even when Wonwoo intertwines their fingers.

"I won't let anything happen to you, okay?" He says softly but not without an undertone of a chuckle.

"That's very sweet of you," Junhui says with a shaky voice. "But I'd still rather... not?"

Wonwoo can't but laugh at it, "Okay, okay... do you want to walk back to the house?"

Junhui looks like he contemplates it. He looks back at the house. They can still see it in the distance from where they are standing. It's the only house with all the lights on and people outside on the patio.

"Hmm, no," Junhui says and looks around them. "Can we just... I don't know, sit here? For a little while?"

"Sure," Wonwoo says rather happy that they would get more time to spend on their own. They walk up a little bit and away from the water as not to sit in the wet sand.

They end up laying down in the sand and looking up at the stars. Hands still intertwined, they talk about everything and anything and the vastness of the universe and how crazy it is that all thirteen of them met and get to spend this time together.

"It's crazy that any two people can meet and connect," Wonwoo says only partly thinking about someone in particular.

"I think it's beautiful," Junhui says on his side. Wonwoo looks at him. That side profile again. He almost hates that he got used to seeing it now and doesn't take enough time to appreciate how stunning it is.

"How rare is it to meet someone you could actually like and have them like you back?" Wonwoo says quietly more as an afterthought and not an actual question.

"I think it's not as rare as people think," Junhui giggles. "I mean, there are so many couples."

"True," Wonwoo agrees. "But for someone like me, it's like a one-in-a-million chance..."

Junhui chuckles. Wonwoo can tell that he turns around to look at him so he looks back and carefully scans the reflection of the stars in Junhui's eyes. A small, compressed galaxy just for him.

Junhui squeezes his hand a little before he speaks, "One-in-a-million is still a chance."

And Wonwoo's heart feels like it does a backflip when he answers barely above a whisper, "It's still a chance."

They smile at each other for a little while until they turn their faces to the stars again. Wonwoo doesn't know how much time passes while they just lay there in silence, hands intertwined. Together, just them and the stars.

When they go back to the house, two of the other guys have fallen asleep on the sofa inside. Jihoon has gone to bed upstairs and the rest of them are still lounging outside on the patio with blankets around them. They are playing some weird game that Wonwoo doesn't even care to figure out when he walks past them.

They tease them a little, mainly because they come back all sandy and a little dirty too. Wonwoo doesn't even care to explain anything. He knows it would only make it worse, so he goes straight upstairs to take a shower. Junhui does the same just in a different bathroom and they smile at each other warmly one more time before they both disappear, towel in hand, behind different doors.

  1. _Let Him Sing You to Sleep_



The next time he sees him, Wonwoo has finished his shower and Junhui is laying on a bed in one of the rooms upstairs. He's wearing his pyjamas and playing on his phone, his hair still wet from his own shower.

"Oh," Wonwoo lets out when he sees him. "I'm sorry, I have my stuff in this room."

"No, I'm sorry," Junhui sits up on the bed. "I don't really remember what rooms we all decided on earlier, so I just went to the one closest to the bathroom I used... I should maybe go and ask Seungkwan."

Wonwoo chuckles, "You can stay here. They always try to decide on stuff but everyone ends up doing whatever they want anyway... two of them are already sleeping on the sofa downstairs, so..."

Junhui laughs, "I see. So, are you also sleeping here?"

Wonwoo nods, "If you don't mind..."

"Not at all."

"Okay," Wonwoo says shyly. "Someone will probably come here as well later... since we only have four rooms, you know."

"Yeah," Junhui says with a breathy laugh. "The bed is big enough."

"Yes."

"Yes."

Wonwoo just stands there for a bit not sure if he should go to bed with just Junhui in it or not. It feels like too much all of a sudden. They had a moment there on the beach. Wonwoo is well aware of that and now they're supposed to share a bed.

He's known the guy for a little over a month but the pull Junhui has on Wonwoo is hard to explain and he knows that sleeping in the same bed with him won't be just sleeping in the same bed with him for Wonwoo.

"Are you tired?" Junhui asks before Wonwoo can overthink things any further.

"Yeah, a little. You?"

"I feel quite sleepy," Junhui blows up his cheeks cutely and looks at the bed. "Do you want to..."

"Yes, I'll be right there," Wonwoo says perplexed. He puts his shower utensils back in his bag and dries his hair with a towel one more time before he moves to lay in bed next to Junhui.

Junhui is on the right side of the bed and Wonwoo moves a little to the middle so that someone else would have space to sleep there as well if they end up joining them. That does nothing to bring any distance between him and Junhui, of course, but Junhui doesn't seem to mind. He doesn't complain anyway.

After a while of just laying there and talking a little bit, Wonwoo lets out a heavy sigh, "Junnie, I don't think I can fall asleep like this."

"Like what?"

"I don't know," Wonwoo says truthfully. "I feel tired but I can't fall asleep if we keep talking."

Junhui chuckles, "Should I shut up?"

"That doesn't sound right either..."

"You're cute," he says above a whisper. "Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?"

Wonwoo is flabbergasted. Did Junhui just say that? Would he really sing for him? It can't be right. He can't be that lucky.

"Uh, you sing?" He asks dumbly.

"A little," Junhui breathes out. "Not like Seokmin but..."

"Yes," Wonwoo blurts out.

"Hm?"

"I want it," he says. "I mean... if it's okay."

Junhui chuckles again and nods cutely before he clears his throat. And that's it. When he starts to sing quietly, sweetly, beautifully, Wonwoo just knows he has probably died and ascended into heaven because surely, this is not a human's voice. It's like honey. Like butter. He doesn't know how a voice can sound like that. Junhui has his own intricate tone, something light but mesmerising. And it's very airy, very breathy.

Wonwoo thinks it's a shame that he's way too tired to analyse it more. He wants to tell Junhui all the things he loves about his voice and how beautiful it is and how beautiful he is but he finds himself drifting away the longer he listens to it. At that time, there's nothing else in the room but this beautiful candy voice and the fresh scent of the prettiest boy he has ever seen.

  1. _Kiss Him_



Wonwoo wakes up annoyed but happy. He's annoyed because he feels a sharp pain in his back between his shoulderblades and he can tell it's someone's head pressing against him. He's happy because the first thing he sees is Junhui smiling at him.

"Hey," he whispers.

"Hey."

"Did you sleep well?"

Wonwoo nods, "Yeah, but there's someone piercing his way through my shoulder blades."

Junhui giggles, "It's Seungkwan."

Wonwoo groans and it makes Seungkwan stir in his sleep and turn around. He's still way too close to Wonwoo but at least he's not pressing any bones into him.

"Why is he so close?" Wonwoo whines.

"Hansol is there too," Junhui grins at him. He has one arm under his pillow and the other one cutely pressed into a fist under his chin. He's at the very edge of the bed and Wonwoo can only assume that he's not that comfortable either.

"Why did they both come here?" He throws into the room. "I can't believe these people sometimes..."

Junhui giggles again, "I think it's cute how close they are."

"I guess," Wonwoo retorts and shifts a little so that he's also comfortably laying on his side and looking at Junhui. He smiles at him. Of course, Junhui is just as pretty in the morning. He doesn't even want to know what he himself looks like. He can't make himself worry about it when there's a whole sight to behold right in front of him.

Junhui looks softer in the morning. A little rounder and still so beautiful. His hair looks incredibly soft and Wonwoo doesn't even think before he reaches out to brush away a couple of hair strands out of the other man's eyes. Junhui grimaces cutely but then chuckles.

"Sorry," Wonwoo says. "It... it was in your eyes."

"It's okay," Junhui breathes out. "Thank you."

They stare at each other a little more. If it were anyone else, Wonwoo would be sure that there is something between them but he can't be sure with Junhui. It would just be too much to ask, right? It would be too good. What did he ever do to deserve someone like him being interested in Wonwoo?

Just when the tension starts to get the better of him, Seungkwan behind him stirs in his sleep again and pulls his legs up in a way that pushes his ass right into Wonwoo's back. Wonwoo falls forward a little and simultaneously pushes Jun away and almost off the edge of the bed.

Instinctually, Wonwoo snakes an arm around Junhui's waist and pulls him closer to himself. Without really intending it, he presses their bodies flush against each other, their faces so close that he can feel Junhui's hitched breathing on his cheek. They look into each other's eyes - there's nowhere else to look anyway when they are this close - and before Wonwoo has the time to think it through, he leans in. Slowly, probing, he leaves Junhui just enough time to stop him if he wanted but he doesn't and Wonwoo kisses him.

He couldn't put into words how good it feels even if he tried. He just pecks him at first. Lips only reluctantly and slowly separating until he moves in again and kisses Junhui for a little longer. Junhui's perfect upper lip between his own lips. Junhui's mouth responding to all of his movements. Junhui's pretty hand on the side of his face. It's not like anything he ever imagined - and he imagined kissing Junhui quite a few times if he's honest. This is so much better.

They kiss and kiss a little more. Wonwoo gets dizzy and light-headed until Junhui lets out a soft moan and he snaps out of it. He pulls away and looks at him with big eyes. It only hits him that he had impulsively leaned into kissing the other man because someone else pushed him. There's someone else in the bed with them. Two people to be precise and Wonwoo sits up. Junhui following his every move with a shocked expression.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I shouldn't have..."

"Wonwoo..." Junhui breathes out.

"Not here..." He looks at Seungkwan and Hansol's sleeping figures to his side. "Like this... I gotta go."

He gets up from the bed and takes his bag to go to the bathroom.

"Wonwoo," Junhui calls after him. "Are you... can we... talk?"

There is a panic that grips on Wonwoo from the inside. Of course, they have to talk about this. There is no way he can just pretend nothing happened. He doesn't want to but right now, his flight instinct gets the better of him and he just says, "Later, okay? After breakfast?"

Junhui frowns at him from where he's still seated on the bed, his legs hanging down on the side. "Okay," he says clearly dissatisfied.

And Wonwoo will make it up to him. Maybe with an apology, he doesn't know yet but it's going to be okay. He just needs time to think as if that has ever made things better for him. But it's his instinct. He has to think things through. He's not usually this impulsive. He's not very spontaneous like that.

So, he disappears into the bathroom and wants to kick himself for leaving Junhui just like that. But he'll make it up. _He will._

  1. _Let Him Know You're in Love with Him_



Wonwoo feels pathetic. Instead of talking it over with Junhui after breakfast like he said he would, he found a couple of his friends downstairs already up and ready and he offered them a ride back home before the rest even got up.

He knows it's horrible of him. To just take off like that without saying anything after he kissed Junhui just that same morning but his fear gets the best of him. What he's scared of, he doesn't even really know.

Junhui kissed him back. Whatever the other man might feel, at least he didn't reject him. He didn't push him away. And perhaps it's that uncertainty that makes Wonwoo so scared. Perhaps it's not knowing exactly how Junhui feels that makes him run away. Because Wonwoo is starting to see clearly how he feels about the other. It's useless to deny it any longer.

The way his heart speeds up whenever Junhui enters a room, the way it practically skips a beat whenever he laughs or does something adorable. How warm he feels inside when he talks to him. How good he feels about himself when Junhui says nice things about him. How the entire skin on his body buzzes whenever they touch. Things couldn't be any more obvious to Wonwoo and maybe he's scared to overwhelm Junhui. Maybe he's scared that it's too much. After all, they've only known each other for a little over a month. What business does he have developing feelings for him?

He knows he has to tell him, though. If he wanted to keep it to himself, he shouldn't have kissed him. Not that he had really thought this through but Junhui doesn't deserve being treated this way. He doesn't deserve Wonwoo making out with him and then just ghosting him or pretending it didn't mean anything when it meant everything.

He thinks back to the kiss and Wonwoo can positively say that nothing had ever made him feel that good in his life so far. He has had boyfriends and flings in the past but something about the way he feels about Junhui is just different. It's just more intense and it doesn't help that Junhui is just the most ethereal being Wonwoo has ever seen with a heart of gold and personality to swoon over.

He knows he has to reach out if he doesn't want to come across as the biggest asshole on Earth so when he gets home from the beach house, he writes Junhui a text message asking him if he could meet Wonwoo when he gets back too.

Junhui's text back seems a little flat, maybe even a little cold and Wonwoo can't blame him. He did the most to mess things up as usual. But Junhui invites him to his own place. He says he would let him know when he gets there and Wonwoo could come over if he wanted then.

And Wonwoo does. A couple of hours later, he finds himself at Junhui's doorstep with jittery legs and sweaty palms. He rings the doorbell. There's no turning back now, not that he would want to turn back anyway.

"Hey," Junhui lets out politely after he opens the door. "Come in."

"Thank you," Wonwoo says and realises that even his voice sounds nervous. He should really get a grip. Fast.

"Do you want a drink or anything?" Junhui asks as Wonwoo follows him to the small kitchen.

"No, thank you," he says and looks around the place. He has obviously never been to Junhui's home. He assumed that Junhui still lived with his parents for some reason because he said that they moved there together but it turns out that he shares a small two-bedroom apartment with a roommate.

It's cute and has everything that one could need. The front door leads into a decent living room and the kitchen has all the main necessities, even though it's small. It's charming.

Junhui leans on the counter with this arms folded in front of his chest and a can of Coca Cola in one hand. He looks a little defensive and Wonwoo can't blame him.

"So," he starts. "You wanted to talk."

"Yes," Wonwoo retorts shakily.

"I assume it's about... this morning?"

"Yeah, look Jun, I'm sorry for taking off so fast," he starts genuinely. "I didn't intend to do that... any of it, actually."

"You mean you didn't intend to kiss me or you didn't intend to kiss me and then run off?" Junhui furrows his eyebrows sarcastically.

"Both," Wonwoo admits and watches Junhui's face lose just that little bit of spark. "But I only regret one..."

"I don't get it, Wonwoo," Junhui smacks his lips. "One minute I think there's something there between us and the next one you do something insanely confusing and it makes me wonder..."

"I know," Wonwoo looks down on his feet.

"I mean," Junhui continues. "Clearly you like me..."

Wonwoo's head shoots up so fast he thinks he pulls a nerve in his neck, "Huh?"

"Yeah, I mean I'm not blind," the other man adds. "And I don't know about you but I don't just kiss my friends or let them kiss me if I don't like them back, so you must have realised that I like you too, right? So, why do you want to run away?"

"I don't," Wonwoo says quickly. "And I didn't... I mean, up to the kiss, I didn't even slightly realise that you might like me too."

Junhui widens his eyes at him as if to ask if he's serious.

"I swear," Wonwoo assures him. "I got it when you kissed me back... or well, maybe a little later. I think my brain registered it but it's hard to process, you have to give me time. It's even hard to process now that you told me with your own mouth."

Junhui chuckles and Wonwoo feels a little relieved because the tension between them seems to slowly wear off, "Look, Jun... _Junnie_ , I just think you're the prettiest, most loveable thing I have ever seen."

Upon hearing that, Junhui unfolds his arms and looks at Wonwoo with a flabbergasted expression, "Umm."

"And I got scared," Wonwoo admits. "Because I tried to figure it out and find a different explanation for it... but it's no use... I just know it is what it is, and-"

"What are you talking about?" Junhui asks softly.

"I know I'm actually in love with you, Junnie," Wonwoo eventually says and feels like a rock just fell off of his heart. "And I know it's a lot... but I don't have any expectations, you know? It's already crazy to me that you said you liked me at all."

Wonwoo stops talking for a minute and looks at Junhui who just blinks at him open-mouthed. He feels like he has overwhelmed him, just as he feared he would.

"I don't know what to say," Junhui lets out after a while.

"You don't have to say anything," Wonwoo sighs. "I know it's a lot but I couldn't _not_ tell you after what I pulled this morning... I really don't expect you to deal with this if you think it's too much, I understand-"

Wonwoo gets cut off by a rapidly approaching Junhui who quickly puts the Coca Cola can away and throws his arms around the other's neck. Wonwoo's hands land on Junhui's hips and he can practically feel his heart in his throat being this close to the guy with the perfect nose again.

Junhui kisses him. Wildly. Admittedly, it's a little rough but it's exactly what Wonwoo needs right then and there because his heart was running amok all day. It's the only way to get all that anxiety out, he thinks. Or well, it's the best way. At least to him.

"You're not..." Wonwoo starts and Junhui shakes his head.

"I mean, I can't say it back right now and I hope that's okay, but..." Junhui looks at him and follows up with a peck. "If I can see myself falling in love with anyone, it's you and I don't care how you define your feelings for me, I'm just happy you have them... because I have them too."

Wonwoo breathes in heaves. He can't believe it quite yet. His brain is still processing and he wonders how many days or weeks or months it will take for him to settle on the fact that Junhui, _his Junhui_ , likes him back.

It took seeing Wen Junhui, the boy with the perfect nose, a whole of seventeen times for Wonwoo to realise that he was in love with him but if he thinks back and if he's honest, it was probably love at first sight. But nobody needs to know that.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! 
> 
> if you liked it, consider leaving a kudos and a comment - those things make me happy!
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/wonjunnie)   
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